Food banks nibble at problem of hunger

Debora Kelly

The news that more Ontarians than ever are using food banks comes at an opportune time.
Nearly 413,000 Ontarians — 160,000 of them children — rely on food banks to stave off hunger every month, according to an Ontario Association of Food Banks report last week.
The dismal message comes during the season of giving and goodwill for many of us.
The contrast between have and have-not is never starker than when our good fortune is on display in piles of gifts under Christmas trees and at gatherings where the tables are practically groaning with the abundance of food and drink on them.
Many of us will be moved to fill bags with food to drop off at the food bank or donate money.
Giving in this way seems simply good — but the reality is that providing basic needs to low-income individuals and families is a complex issue with which the richest countries in the world are struggling.
Sharing one’s bounty with others is always a good thing — really, can kindness and compassion be bad?
But I also recognize the increasing reliance on food banks is disturbing on many levels, beyond the fact hunger and a lack of access to healthy food is a real and growing problem in Canada.
A staggering 900,000 Canadians use food banks every month.
Through charity and volunteerism, food banks fill a gap that allows governments to shirk a responsibility to help provide a standard of living adequate for health and well-being.
In a Globe & Mail column, Queen’s University associate professor and food bank volunteer Elaine Power argued food banks should be closed as they are “a serious obstacle in the fight against poverty”.
“By promising to ‘end hunger’ by feeding hungry Canadians, they provide a comforting illusion that no one is hungry — or if they are, it’s their own fault.”
I saw evidence of that sentiment after tweeting the latest food bank statistics.
“Do not mean to come across as uncaring but many parents on public $ buy their booze cigs first cuz they know they can get food from bank”, was one response.
“Have you heard of poverty pimps?” was another.
OK, but I can’t imagine most people use food banks for any reason other than dire necessity. It’s single parents, the working poor, seniors and students who are swallowing their pride.
After my own experience on a food bank diet — so I could write about it — I expect no matter how easy the application process or friendly the staff, most people find the need to ask for the handout somewhat humiliating.
While we know, in 2011, 52,389 people visited York food banks, it’s likely there are many more in our communities who would rather starve than go for a monthly ration.
Children still go to school without breakfast, adults work the day without lunch and seniors go to bed without dinner.
Our governments are drowning in debt, but that’s no excuse for them to shrug their shoulders — or even worse, make cuts to already inadequate benefits, as the McGuinty government did.
Food banks only nibble at the problem of hunger and poverty.
Yet, without them, our neighbours would go hungry this month.
So the message is give generously to your local food bank, but don’t just walk away in a glow of goodwill.
Send season’s greetings to your MPP and MP and let them know it’s time to tackle the problems that are causing people to go hungry — such as a lack of affordable shelter and inadequate benefits.
That way, there’s hope some dignity will be served one Christmas, rather than canned turkey.